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It's Fun to Play the Piano ... Please Pass It On!

Wow, Romolo, that was quick! I'm still stumbling through it, although it IS getting better. I don't mind the occasional missed note, but there are still way too many pauses. Still, it's coming along WAY easier than "Good People". :-)

Wow, I'm really happy for the people who got "Little Brown Jug" down. I'm still on "Money Can't Buy Everything" so I'm still a long way off from you guys, but I'm already looking forward to LBJ! I started a couple of weeks ago and I'm glad I decided to get a teacher instead of striking out on my own. First, she was the one who introduced me to Alfred which I think is a great method book and her advice on playing are things that I would never have figured out on my own! So for those who are self-studying, I recommend getting a teacher or at least a good pianist friend to critique your playing. You'll be surprised at the little things you never noticed were wrong!

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Finished: Alfred Bk 1 / Currently on: a bunch of pop & classical piecesWorking on: Czerny 599 and Christmas piecesResumed lessons in Jan. 2016 after 5 years of having no instrument!

Wow Romolo that was fast!!!!! How many hours do you practice a day? I do a half hour a day, more on the weekends. I'm finally getting LBJ - lots of pauses though. It's the notes that I can't read that slow me down. I have to write the notes on the book otherwise I forget them. Ah....a true OLDER beginner.

I'll practice about 20-30 minutes a day...but sometimes twice a day. My girlfriend, who's been play for years, tells me it's better to practice for about 20-30 minutes at a time. As long as you're practicing the right way. She says to go as slow as you have to make sure you're hitting the right notes. Then it'll just stick in your brain and you'll be able to play at a faster pace. Even if it's really slow where you can't even identify the song you're playing, it's ok as long as your hands and brain are introduced to it correctly, it'll stick. So I usually practice for about 20-30 minutes a day, but usually twice a day, sometimes 3 times a day if I have time. More on the weekends too. Perfect practice makes perfect she says.

I just started with "Chiapanecas"...it's not so bad...fairly easy compared to "Little Brown Jug" but fun to play. I woke up this morning and tried to play both "Good People" and "Little Brown Jug" at an increased pace and I did it. It really seems like the time between my practice sessions are a big help. Cuz yesterday I couldn't play either pieces at a fast pace, but then this morning, I could, on the first try. It's weird...lol

That's good advice, Romolo. When I start a new piece, I'm painfully slow - you wouldn't even know what I'm playing. Then I get the notes down and then I speed it up. LBJ is getting better and better. Still hate it though

I'm working on O Sole Mio now. It looks a little easier than LBJ and Chiapanecas. I still have trouble with measure 5 on LBJ. For some reason I often substitute measure 9 for measure 5. It is good to have someone else hear your playing occasionally. They can point out trouble spots or help polish other areas.

Measure 5 of LBJ also gave me trouble...so I practiced that separately for a bit...very slowly...over and over again. MarkInBayArea...I did the exact same thing with substituting measure 9 for 5. I still do it sometimes. I was wondering if others did the same.

Measure 5 of LBJ also gave me trouble...so I practiced that separately for a bit...very slowly...over and over again. MarkInBayArea...I did the exact same thing with substituting measure 9 for 5. I still do it sometimes. I was wondering if others did the same.

I have just started the Alfred's Sacred Book 1.The first pieces are very easy, but the music and the words are so inspiring that I do love them.I think I am going to have a great time with this little precious book!

I miss the being at the beginning of the book when it only took a 15 mins to get through a piece and move on to the next page.

That's for sure! The last two took me/are taking me forever. I think the last several pieces in the book are going to take me longer than everything that I've done so far.

I played "Good People" and "Little Brown Jug" for a friend yesterday. She's the only person I would play them for. We bought our first keyboards together, and she is struggling with hands together and says she is giving up and going to just play RH melody and LH chords. So she knows where I'm coming from and didn't laugh at my playing.

I am done done done with LBJ woooohoooo!!!!!! Teacher says I have the right melody and the correct finger positions, now to just speed it up. But, I'm on to the next one - the Mexican hand clapping (forgot the name). I discovered that I really love the broken chords. That's why I didn't mind practicing On Top of Old Smokey. Anybody else like the broken chords? And I agree with Romolo - back in the day - when I could play a "song" in 10 minutes Of course, it's really nice to look back and see how far I've come. Gram - tell your friend not to give up!

I agree with you dee180...I like playing the broken chords too. I think they're easier and they help with the beat. I first discovered that with "Why am I blue?" They act as a beat and make playing the melody a little easier.

CHIAPANECAS is starting to drive me crazy...grrrI thought it'd be easier than LITTLE BROWN JUG but it's not I got the first part it down but the middle part is giving me problems.I can't wait till I'm done this first book...lol

Well, I'm through Rock it Away, but have to admit that Lullaby on the prior page still needs a little work, not that its hard, just that its so boring, if I practice it once in a setting I'm done. I liked Cafe Vienna and Rock it Away on the other hand.

The next song coming up in the AI1 is Joy to the World, not so much looking forward to that with summer just kicking off (might have enjoyed it closer to the holidays). So I'm not pushing myself to move on at the moment. Instead I'm spending more time on the Alfred's Greatest Hits, have the Rainbow Connection down pretty good, but I want to run it by my teacher on Wednesday as I feel like I have a few things off and don't want to make the wrong corrections. And still plundering through Desperado in the Rock book I bought, I think its actually a level or so ahead of where I'm at, but I'm making progress slowly and enjoy it, so it motivates me.

One thing I've noticed though, is as I'm progressing to larger spans between notes, if I go back to the easier songs where your fingers don't skip a key, I'm all over the place missing the notes accidently stretching too far. So I'm finding it important to keep going back to train my mind and hands only to stretch that extra distance when needed.

If anyone here has a piano teacher, could you please share any of the tips he/she gives you for us who are just learning by ourselves...that would be greatly appreciated. Anything tips really, big or small. Thanks in advance.

@Romolo: Here are some things my teacher told me that I would never have noticed by myself:

1) I was playing the notes 'disjointedly' (note per note) until she pointed out that notes should be played 'connected,' even though there is no legato marking on the piece.

2) When playing the left hand with repeated notes (such as in 'Money Can't Buy Everything') my right hand starts playing disjointedly, imitating my left hand (Of course, when you repeat a note you can't play legato!).

3) I was having trouble with NO. 2 until she told me to look at my hands while playing. Now the problem is mostly solved (and I don't need to look at my hands anymore, either).

4) She taught me how to count to the rhythm (I know this is basic, but to a rhythm-challenged person like me, it's a miracle I could even follow a beat! :D)

5) I should press on the keys harder. Probably due to my unweighted keyboard (which I am soon about to ditch for a much better DP :)) my touch is equivalent to 'p' (piano) on an acoustic.

Well you probably know all of these already, but those are what I could remember..and today's my 3rd lesson!

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Finished: Alfred Bk 1 / Currently on: a bunch of pop & classical piecesWorking on: Czerny 599 and Christmas piecesResumed lessons in Jan. 2016 after 5 years of having no instrument!

My current keyboard doesn't have a pedal, but my teacher made me practice with an imaginary one for "Harp Song" (was it?) and it was quite a struggle coordinating my foot with my hands! I was all over the place, LOL. I'm going to practice it properly when I get my Casio PX-720 (with weighted keys and pedals) hopefully later this week.

I'm currently on the 1st Hanon exercises and a few variations of that exercise taught to me by my teacher

Just wondering....did the Hanon exercise help any of you in any way?

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Finished: Alfred Bk 1 / Currently on: a bunch of pop & classical piecesWorking on: Czerny 599 and Christmas piecesResumed lessons in Jan. 2016 after 5 years of having no instrument!